1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to dispensing devices for injecting fluid and, more specifically, to an improved tattooing device that repeatedly dispenses liquid pigment material in predetermined measured amounts.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Devices to tattoo various parts of the human body have long been used. Pictorial designs and identification marks have been commonly tattooed onto human and animal skin. Generally, an electric motor or solenoid is used to reciprocate a needle having a liquid dye coated on its external surface. The reciprocating needle is then inserted into the skin. For example, the Binaris et al, "Tattooing Device," U.S. Pat. No. 4,204,438 discloses a bulky motor housing attached to a needle housing for performing tattooing. A motor within the motor housing is powered by batteries for reciprocation of a tattooing needle. The tattoo needle is dipped into a tattoo dye and the device is activated by particular angular positions of the device as it is held in a user's hand.
One shortcoming in the prior art is that the devices have been generally bulky in shape, heavy in weight, and usually vibrate. In addition, having to dip the needle into a container of dye does not permit the use of dye in a measured amount nor the repeated use of the dye in the same measured amounts.
The medical profession has recently used pneumatic and electrically driven handheld devices, that are relatively lightweight compared to commercial tattoo units, for cosmetic tattooing. Further, the use of a solenoid to rapidly reciprocate the needle has a propensity to tear the skin being tattooed, impairs hair follicle growth, and makes detailed work difficult. The problems in the prior art become more obvious when greater detail and precision is required in the tattooing work, such as in cosmetic tattooing around the human eye. Additionally, the tattoo dye is splattered about the situs of the implant and obscures the placement of additional implants of dye.
Medical syringes with the ability to meter fixed quantities of inexpensive dye are also known in the prior art.
There is still a demand in the medical industry to provide an improved inexpensive metering needle assembly that can be used for cosmetic tattooing and the like.